May Revolution
The May Revolution was a failed socialist revolution in Lasterus centered around Marshall City in May of 1907. The last in a string of socialist rebellions in Lasterus starting in 1869, the May Revolution was set apart from the others both by its brief successes and by its radical rhetoric of reshaping every element of society. It has also been called the '''Rose Revolution '''or the '''Week of Roses '''for its symbol, the red rose. The revolution began in a general strike as a result of the overturn of the Worker Protection Act of 1893 by the government of William Church, stripping workers away many of the hard-earned protections that they'd fought for throughout the latter part of the nineteenth century. General striking turned into rioting in some parts of the city, however, and clashes broke out on May 4; in a sudden military clash, socialist paramilitary forces defeated the city's riot police and established control of the city. The population, now armed by the socialist paramilitaries, stormed the city hall and overthrew the mayor, and, on May 5, proclaimed the creation of a new world socialist state. The May 7 Constitution was written by a committee of civilians, including both committed socialists as well as local bourgeois and striking workers. It not only deconstructs the Lasterian political system, it also rejected the institution of organized religion and of marriage, proclaimed the equality of all races and sexes, and referred to humanity as a "single nation." It completely rejected capitalism and issued an immediate reclaiming of all property by the people; an even redistribution of land; collective ownership of all farms and factories; direct democracy of workers and professionals rather than career politicians; and The May Revolution was a spectacular failure that led to massive scale destruction in Marshall City, even more repressive laws, the death of 9,200 revolutionaries and the imprisonment of a further twenty thousand. Despite this, it is often seen as a watershed event in the history of the world for its vast and enduring influence on the political conversation in all parts of the world, and its legacy, rhetoric and imagery have been consistently evoked in the years following its defeat. Revolutionary socialist groups around the world, including the active Maztlánaria, consider it to be the first true revolution, and continue to use its imagery of the red rose, and the rhetoric of the May Revolutionaries has been used by the far left ever since. It also is largely credited with the demise of the Gilded Age of unfettered capitalism in the late nineteenth century and a turn toward more socialistic policies around the world in response both to the revolution's utopian ideals and to its brutal repression. Ideology The worldview presented by those involved in the May Revolution is often considered the backbone of modern revolutionary socialism and the far left, and has led to a persistence in the rhetoric and imagery of the May Revolution. Unlike other workers' rebellions, the May revolutionaries not only wanted the betterment of their social situation, but sought to radically restructure all facets of society, and saw themselves as ushering in a new era of human civilization. They issued two major documents presenting their ideology - the Declaration of May 5 and the May 7 Constitution. The Declaration of May 5 deconstructed the Lasterian political state, and issued a list of grievances against what it considered the bourgeois aristocracy of Lasterus, most notably the Great Families such as the Castlers, Cortlandts, Astors, and Byrons, and the political elites who spat empty rhetoric while serving only to further the interests of the wealthiest and actively keep down the working class, or the proletariat. The Declaration was less specific in its vision for society than in its criticisms, but it nonetheless encapsulated an entire worldview of history that emphasized inequality and the gradual evolution toward an egalitarian society and away from caste, empire, war and domination. It envisions a "brave new future" of total human equality, free love, government by the people, popular ownership of the means of production, and a life characterized by increased leisure and pleasure rather than based around work and order. The May 7 constitution was more specific in its goals. It called for the institution of a "People's Body" to